Bag fastener



F. A. FULLER.

BAG FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 192i.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

n'bahtoz mZ. Edler' @1k/tenne UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE.

)FRANZ A. FULLER, `OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 TEE (J. E. MERGOTTCOMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BAG FASTENER.

Application filed April 13, 1921.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ A. FULLER, a citizen oli the United States,residing in Newark, county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag Fasteners, of whichthe following is a speciiication.

The main object of this invention is to provide a spring actuated claspof unique design adapted to securely confine the hinged frame elementsof a bag in intimate relation.

Another purpose is in the provision of a clasp comprised of a singleunitary element provided with integral means for engaging one of thetrame members in a permanent butpivotal manner, the clasp, which is otunusually neat appearance, automatically engaging the other trame memberupon closing the bag and holding it closed until mauually released.

These and other like objects, such as the avoidance of unsightlyprojections, lightness in weight, cheapness ot construction and ease ofoperation, are attained by the novel design, construction andarrangement of parts, hereinafter described and shown in the annexeddrawings, forming an essential part oi' this disclosure and in whichFigure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a conventional type oil' bag,showing the 'frame partially open and illustrating the application ofthe invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the clasp in detail.

Figure 3 is an end view of the same.

Figure '4l is a fragmentary plan view of the bag 'frame member to whichthe clasp is permanently attached.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the same, showing theclasp engaged therewith.

Figure G is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional View, showing theclasp in operative position, the section being taken substantially online 6-6 of Figure 1.

Stated brieliy in general terms, the invention comprises a low hollowelongated clasp body, hingedly united to one of the frame members andhaving an overhanging portion, bevelled on its under surface to engageSpeccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922'. serial No. 461,005.

and snap over one or more lugs integral with the mating member o'l" theframe, the clasp being' urged into normal engaging position by a singletorsion spring housed within its body and lixed at one end in the frameelement.

Rei'erring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l10designates the flexible walls ot a conventional type of hand bag, madeor' leather or textile fabric, such as commonly carried by women forholding miscellaneous small articles. i v

The bag is provided with a metal frame comprised of two membersrespectively 11 and 12, which, whenopen on the connectingV hinges 14present an oblong rectangle through which access to the interior of thebag may be had.

The frame member 11 is slightly larger than its mate 12 so as topartially overlie it when closed.

rillhe member 11 is also differently formed, consisting of a slightlycurved outer wall, blending into a flanged top portion 15 at a rightangle, its outer edge being re-entrantly turned presenting a doublethickness which extends to the inner straight flat wall 16, coincidentwith but spaced from, the outer right angled wall 11, the recess 17between the walls being receptive of the bag material.

The opposite or mating member 12 is substantially U shaped in crosssection, the inner wall 18 being flattened to make contact with the wall16, while the curved portion 19, joining the inner and outer walls, isadapted to neatly fit below the flange 15 when the bag is closed, thespace 2() between the walls containing the edge of the bag material.

A pull ring or lnob is preferably secured to the frame element 22 inorder to conveniently open or otherwise manipulate the same.

lVliile the foregoing is descriptive of a preferred form of frame, it isto be'understood that any similar type of bag frame may be used inconnection with the clasp.

The clasp, which is positioned midway in the length of the iframe,comprises an elonl slightly lengthwise, bent` downward at the back,forming a rear wall 25 and curved at the front 26, the curved portionblending into a downwardly slanting catch element 27 the inner edge ofwhich extends normally over the frame member 12 when closed.

The clasp element 24 is also bent downwardly at its ends 28 and formedon the rear'edges, adjacent the back 25 are prongs 29 adapted to passthrough openings `30 formed in the frame element 11, and looselyclenched below the top wall, in the recess 17, as shown in Figures 5 and6.

The front corners of the clasp plate 24: are neatly curved as at 3l andall edges are smoothly finished.

Formed with the rear edgesrof the element 27 v are a pair of spaced stopextensions 32 reaching rearwardly nearly to the wall 16 and beingdisposed in indented recesses formed in the frame flange 15, the purposeof these stops being to limit the distance that the clasp can be raisedabove the level `of the element 15, when the clasp is moved upward onthe prongs 29 which act in a limited manner as hinges. Y

The clasp is normally urged tightly against the surface ofthe frameelement l5 by a torsional spring 34 made from a single strand of wire,disposed in the inner corner of the clasp elements 2li and 25 andlixedly held therein by clips 35 extending integrally from the loweredge of the clasp element 25, the clips being bent as best shown inFigure 6.

One end of the wire 34 is turned to the Y front, under the plate 2li, asat 86, its terminal 37 being bent parallel to the main portion anddisposed between the clasp elements 2a an-d 27.

The opposite end 38 of the wire is eX- tended downwardly and passedthrough a small circular opening 39 formed in the frame element l5adjacent one of the hinge receiving openings 30, the wire being so bentas to press the clasp into operative position and cause the inner edgeof the ele-- ment 27 to engage over a pair of lugs 40 formed by shearingand pressing the metal up from the highest central portion of the curvedelement 19 of the frame element 12.

In operation, the parts having been assembled as indicated, and the bagframe in an open position, the hinged members are pressed together, thebevelled adjacent surfaces' of the lugs el() making contact with thecorrespondingly slanted surfaceof the clasp element 27, causing it torise, overcoming the torsional effect of the spring 811, until the lugshave passed the edge of the catchV element 27, whereupon it snapsdownward over the lugs and maintains the frame elements securely inclose relation.

When it is desired to release'the bag, the pull 21, may be grasped inone hand, or any `details thereof may be made without departing fromlthe scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Y

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I desire Vto secure byLetters Patent and claims, is l 1. In a bag fastener, the combinationwith a pair of frame members, of a clasp hinged to one of said members,means limiting the movement of said clasp, means impelling said clasp toits seat on said member, and means on the other of said membersengageable with said clasp.

2. In a bag fastener, the combination with a pair of frame members, of-aclasp hinged to one of said members, a torsion spring in said clasp andfixed in said member, one or more bevelled lugs formed with the other ofsaid members, and means integral with said clasp for engaging said lugswhen said frame members are closed.

3. In a bag fastener, the combination with a pair of frame members, of aplate having angularly turned rear and side edges, projections on therear edge engaging one of said frame members in the manner of a hinge,said plate having a curved extending front, a catch element forme-dtherewith inclining downwardly and toward the rear, means integral withthe other of said frame members adapted to be engaged by said catchelement, and meansco-operative with said first frame `member and saidclasp plate adapted to cause such engagement. Y el. A bag fastenercomprising, in combination with a frame, a hollow clasp open partiallyat its bottoni, means integrally formed therewith for hingedly engagingsaid clasp with one ofthe frame members, a torsional spring in saidclasp adapted to normally press said clasp into operative position,means limiting the rotative movement of said clasp, and means integralwith the other of said frame members engageable with the bottomV wallofsaid clasp.

5. A bag fastener comprising, in combination with a frame, a hollowclasp open partially at its bottom, means integrally formed therewithfor hingedlyY engaging said clasp with one of the frame members,atorsional spring in said clasp adapted to normally press said claspinto operative position, said spring-having one end fixed in the framemember, lugs integral with said clasp engaging in recesses in the framemember, said lugs limiting the rise of said clasp, an in- Thisspecication signed and witnessed this ninth day of April, 1921.

FRANZ A. FULLER.

Witnesses:

FREDK C. FISCHER, FERDINAND T. NOLL.

